Ai
by Sesshomarus x lover14
Summary: For now, read it and find out!
1. Chapter 1

All he could see was black until a young woman came into view. The violet haired maiden seemed to free-fall before him, but did not fall. More like was suspended in the air before him. Slowly her eyelids opened to reveal dark eyes. Her face had a childlike stucture which made her violet eyes seem more gentle. She reached out a delicate hand towards him, her skin soft and pale. Her mouth twitched as if to say something, but nothing came out. Then, all of a sudden, she screamed his name before she vanished as if never there.

"Sesshomaru!"

---

"Milord, how much further?" Jaken attentively asked holding the dragon's reins as he followed faithfully behind the beautiful demon lord before him.

When the white haired male didn't answer the imp sighed causing the little girl on the two headed dragon's back to giggle, "Don't worry, Master Jaken! We are in Lord Sesshomaru's care! We have no reason to worry about where we are headed!"

"Silly girl, do not think for one moment that I do not know that!" Jaken spat at her and she just giggled her reply.

Sesshomaru tuned out the argument that the imp was now trying to heat up, but the eight-year-old, Rin, would just giggle before replying with something so innocent it irritated the toad demon. A flash of a violet haired woman with dark eyes clouded his vision for the briefest of moments before he could see the sunset clearly again. The image reminded him of the dream he had had not too long ago. The dream he had been having for the several nights he had been able to sleep. She seemed so innocent, beautiful, almost intoxicating, but human. No matter how he looked at her she was human, except her hair. The violet hue was not natural to humans and if it were he had never seen one.

"Be quiet, pitiful girl!" The insult still had the girl laughing.

"Jaken." The simple word from the dog demon shut the two up and all became silent again besides the chirping of birds.

A few minutes later the young girl jumped off her ride and ran towards the forest saying she'd be back soon just getting something to eat. Jaken muttered something as the three demons stopped to wait. Ah-Un immediately laid down on all fours while Jaken leaned up against him reins still in hand. Sesshomaru sighed silently resting against a tree his senses alert for the little girl whose feet he could hear patting the ground as she ran.

---

"Akahana, knock it off!" A young blonde haired woman shot a golden sphere of magic, out of her palm, and hurled it at her red haired friend who easily dodged the attack with a green one of her own.

Akahana laughed playfully as she hurled another green orb from her palm towards the almost pissed off blonde, Akari. "Oh, Kari. You have to admit this is good exercise!"

Up above the two in a tall tree of the forest, Ai watched silently a smile creeping it's way across her cherry red lips. She swung her legs back and forth dully loving the few gentle breezes that fiddled with the violet strands of her hair. She wore a knee length kimono much like her two friends below only this one was a beige color with white flower petals and black branches on which they floated off. The other two girls had the same design only Akari's was orange with white petals and black branches while Akahana had pink with white petals and black branches.

Akari shot another gold orb at Akahana while dodging the green one Akahana had shot at the same time this caused Akari not to be able to fully concentrate on where the sphere was to be directed making it barely miss the red haired girl and head towards a young girl who was standing at the edge of the clearing with an armful of roots and mushrooms watching the scene obviously mystified by the two human maidens using magic as if it was second nature.

Ai had spotted her in time to make her move. Quickly swooping down at the speed of light, she snatched the girl up in her arms bridal style and moved away from the direction of the orb just before it hit the young eight-year-old. She landed on the ground again standing the human girl up trying to help her regain her balance. "Are you alright?"

The girl turned to her happily. Her chocolate brown eyes locking with Ai's darker ones, "Yes, thank you, pretty lady."

Ai immediately blushed at the comment before smiling again, "My name is Ai. The two girls over there are Akari and Akahana. What is your name?"

"My name is Rin. Thank you again, Lady Ai, but I must go back they might worry about me."

Ai nodded realizing that Rin had not dropped any of the food, "Who are they?"

"Lord Sesshomaru and Master Jaken. We've been traveling along the countryside for some time now."

Ai remembered the first name from somewhere and finally realized he was the demon lord of the West, but the second name didn't ring a bell to her. She mentally shook her head knowing it didn't matter at all. She smiled at the young girl knowingly. "Yes, you probably should get back."

Rin nodded then began running back the way she had come. Sighing silently Ai couldn't help remembering being so young, so innocent. How could her father keep killing so many? Thinking about it made her stomach churn. "Sesshomaru." She whispered the name tasting it on her tongue. She had said it before to his face. His golden eyes searching her's. Ai shook the memory from her mind. She wanted nothing to do with him now. Couldn't have anything to do with him now. But perhaps the fates had other ideas. Beginning with this innocent human child.


	2. Chapter 2

"Lord Sesshomaru left a little while ago." Jaken answered tiredly to the brown haired girl beside him.

"Why did he leave?" Rin tried leaning back against a tree with her retainer beside her.

"Stop asking ridiculous questions!" He replied in a matter of moments.

'In other words, even you don't know.' She thought looking up at the sky. Bright stars twinkled down at her in the moonless vast darkness. She couldn't help thinking back on Ai. Rin had never encountered a human with violet hair before. She was so beautiful! But she wasn't human, was she?

---

"Akahana? C'mon, wake up!" Akari panicked shaking her sleeping friend violently.

"What?" The red head slowly came around running her fingers through her short red hair.

"Ai is gone! I can't find her anywhere!" Akari sat back bringing her knees to her chest. "I think something may have happened to her."

Akahana sat up slowly rubbing her tired brown eyes, "Ai is fine. She always has gone out and about before. She'll be back before sunup." With that she laid back down on the hard forested ground falling back asleep instantly.

Akari continued to sit beside her before walking away from their campsite.

---

Ai hadn't been too far from the young women to know that Akari was looking for her. But it didn't make her go back to the clearing. She had to find clues to find Naraku. She had to kill him. She had to stop all the pointless killings caused by him. So, exactly why was she sitting next to a vast lake staring at the moonless sky and the many mountains lying before her? What was the point of being here?

Not even she knew the answers of these questions and she smiled at her own foolishness. Something had drawn her here and it was not the thirst to feel the coolness of the pure liquid water on her lips. No. It might've been the fact that she sensed the little girl she had met earlier close by. Or maybe not.

She blinked a few times before finally sitting down in the grassy meadow her eyes finding the water somewhat entrancing. Ai almost fell into a doze when the wind picked up alerting her of another presence. Her keen ears went on the alert and she could make out faint footsteps coming towards her then stopping a few feet away. She didn't turn or acknowledge the stranger but kept her senses on the defensive side. Only when he spoke did she physically tense up.

"Ai." His voice was cold and familiar. It instantly clicked in her mind who it was that spoke to her.

Slowly she turned her head to look at him and her dark blue eyes softened visibly, "Sesshomaru."

They stared into each other's eyes for a time that seemed like forever, but could not be for only a matter of minutes. Finally he took a step forward, "May I?" He knew he didn't need to ask. He knew she had no choice except to say yes, but he did it anyway. It was only polite.

As expected she nodded turning back to the scenery trying her hardest to seem relaxed, but Sesshomaru could tell she was far from it. He settled down on her right side sitting with his right leg bent up allowing his right arm to rest on his knee while his other leg stretched out before him towards the lake. He knew she wanted him to speak first, however, he was not going to let her have her way this time. This time the outcome would be a lot different.

After a few quiet minutes when the fireflies came out to dance over the lake she spoke. Her voice was pure and sweet, but there was a hint of hurt and regret behind it. "So, you manage to find me again. Tell me, Sesshomaru, am I that predictable or have you just happened to stumble upon me?" She tilted her head back looking hard at the stars above, "I already know what you have come to say and my answer is yes. I do insist on finding my father and fighting him to the death whether or not it is the last thing I do."

"That is not why I came to speak to you, Ai. We have already spoken about that years ago and I realize that I was wrong to have fought you about it." He did not turn to look at her, but he knew she was now looking at him with more relaxed and kind eyes that now held interest. She was the exact opposite of him. Pure, kind hearted, loving, full of emotions, physically weak. While he was cold, heartless, emotionless and powerful. "Ai, I came to ask about Naraku." Now he looked at her. Directly into her deep eyes that was holding her hurt back and away from him.

Ai wanted to look away, but knew better. It was easier to talk to him this way with eye contact. She could easily detect his feelings about anything even if he said otherwise. "What about my father?"

"Do you have any idea as to where he might be?"

Ai shook her heading breaking the connection because she closed her eyes while doing so. Then she smiled at him and spoke, "No. If I had known don't you think I would be on my way there? Sesshomaru…" She reached out to lightly touch the top strip on his left cheek, but immediately jerked back when he turned back to her.

"Someone is coming. I must go."

She nodded in reply and before she knew it he was gone. The only thing left was his scent and the cool touch on her cheek she knew had been his fingers lightly brushing against her face comfortingly. She turned just in time to see Akari running up to her her face red from running so much.

"Ai, there you are! Oh, Kami, I'm so glad I found you!"

"Akari? what is wrong?" Ai stood as her friend came towards her.

"I was just so worried about you. When I woke up and found you gone I thought Naraku got to you." Ai shook her head as the blonde began to pant trying to steady her beating heart.

"You shouldn't worry about me. I will be fine no matter what. I promise." Akari smiled taking Ai's hand and walked back to where Akahana sat waiting.


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

Sesshomaru walked ahead of his small group thinking back on what Ai had said, _"Tell me, Sesshomaru, am I that predictable or have you just happened to stumble upon me?"_

He couldn't remember why he had gone to see her. He didn't even think he had a reason to begin with. Sesshomaru knew it was no matter of knowledge to know that indeed she would be with Naraku if she had found him and the reason he gave for talking to her was a last minute resort not expecting her to ask. Or maybe he did know she would ask, but thought nothing of it. Either way he was glad the blonde had come and interrupted them. She was getting too close. Much closer and he knew they would start right back where it all began.

He wouldn't go there. There was a reason why their relationship didn't last and a second time around would change nothing. He smiled in his mind. Sesshomaru would never actually call what they had a relationship more like cat and mouse games. He enjoyed them and her in those days. But…

The demon lord stopped at a cliff side staring at the vast valley below. Why had they split apart? He couldn't remember. Was it the argument they had about Naraku? He had wanted her to stay at his palace where she would be safe, but she only shook her head angrily and got in his face.

_"Naraku is my father I will kill him! It is my problem not yours!"_

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin's voice ended his thoughts.

"We are getting close." He replied spotting one of Naraku's poisonous insects on the horizon.

---

"Ai? Where exactly are we going?" Akari asked looking around a group of trees in the valley.

"I don't know." Ai said honestly causing her friend to slump forward in exhaustion. "There is a village close if that makes you feel better."

Akari bolted upright, "Yes! More shopping!" And with that she was gone.

Akahana sighed placing a hand on Ai's shoulder, "You'd think she be broken out of shopping by now."

"Nope. She is the same Akari we met in Korota village." Ai smiled at the sunny sky, "Guess we better catch up with her before people start getting trampled."

"I hear ya." Akahana laughed and the two girls disappeared as well.

---

"I'm so very sorry about this." Ai apologized to an old woman who had been walking when Akari accidentally ran into her when she saw Ai and Akahana coming to get her.

"It is all right, Child. I should've been watching where I was going." She picked up her cane and smiled at Ai, "Violet eyes. They are very pretty. I haven't seen eyes like yours since I was about as old as you are now. She was a beautiful woman."

Ai smiled masking her pain. The old woman spoke of her mother. Naraku had killed her when Ai was a child living with Sesshomaru's family.

"She was so kind hearted and high spirited. She had a mature childish way about her, but it is hard for me to remember. I don't even think I remember her name all that well." She looked up at the sky trying to remember.

"Hisoka. Her name was Hisoka." Ai informed looking over at Akari and Akahana who were fighting over a kimono at one of the nearby stands.

"Yes! Yes! That was it! Did you know her?" The old woman turned back to Ai interested.

"Not very well. She was my mother, but died when I was about three or four… maybe five. It doesn't matter though. Like I said I hardly knew her." Ai looked at the ground scolding herself. 'Liar. You knew her better than anyone.'

"Ah. That explains the similarities. And you were raised by demons ever since am I right?"

Ai gasped looking back at the woman. She never told anyone of living with Sesshomaru in the house of the West. How did this woman know so much when she had met her only moments before?

"Child, Ai, I was a trusted friend of Hisoka. She had saved my village a long time ago from a half demon named Naraku. I owe her so much for helping us."

"I'm sure she was just glad to help." Ai smiled again, "I must go before they begin tearing each other apart. Nice meeting you…"

"Kaliko."

Ai nodded then jogged back to her friends who were still arguing over the dress, "Guys! We gotta get going!"

Both girls dropped the kimono and followed Ai out of the village back into the forests of the valley. They weren't very far when they heard a young woman's screams for help.

Not thinking, all three women raced towards the sound and found themselves in front of a four-legged demon whose skin reminded Ai of rotting bananas. However, there was no sign of a woman or blood to indicate there was one.

Ai let out a breath of air irritated. This demon was a mimicking demon. A demon that uses human woman voices to get a human male to come running for his death. And the three girls had fallen for it.

"Damnit! I was hoping for a challenge, but obviously I didn't get one." Akari mumbled getting ready for a strike, but was stopped by Ai.

"Wait. Something doesn't seem right." Ai studied the lizard like demon who stared back at them as if dazed, "What's wrong with him?"

"Naraku's doing." A cold voice came from behind the demon before it disintegrated into dust revealing the silver haired demon lord.

"Sesshomaru? What are you doing so close to a human village?" Ai questioned tensing.

"Rin has gone into the village to get supplies. I assume you have met her."

"Yes, yesterday."

"Um, Ai, who is…." Akahana tugged at her friend's sleeve watching the newcomer warily.

"Lord Sesshomaru of the West. Sesshomaru, Lady Akahana of the North and Akari from Korota village. They are my friends."

Sesshomaru gazed at the three for a moment then locked eyes with Ai. "Naraku's insects are flying westward towards my lands. Naraku should be close by."

"That or he is trying to cook up one of his schemes. Thanks for the clue, but I really don't think that he would be trespassing on your lands unless he had a death wish signed by you."

"Inuyasha battled him not long ago and his wench informed me that Naraku was heading west. So it proves my sightings perfectly."

"The west then…" Ai turned back to the village. "Akari, Akahana, I want you staying here for a while."

"Ai! No! We are going with you!" Akari protested angrily.

"I would allow you to go if it had nothing to do with Sesshomaru." She turned back to the demon lord, "If you get on his nerves he would not hesitate to kill you."

"But what about you?" Akahana asked concerned.

"I will be fine. He would never harm me."


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

_"You should know better, Ai. Never deny me." Sesshomaru pinned her to the wall his lips at her neck._

_"Life isn't as fair as you would allow yourself to think." She used her magic to push against him knowing it would give her a split second to move out of his reach before he would be upon her again._

_"This Sesshomaru gets what he wants when he wants it no matter the consequences." He growled in her ear once he had hold of her wrist._

_Ai fought against him reaching for the door, but it was no use. She knew the moment she set foot in his chambers that there would be no turning back. But she had to see him. He had missed all three meals that day and she had been worried about him. A human emotion she could not help but have. Fighting did her no good against the demon lord and soon she found herself under him gasping and moaning in pure ecstasy._

_Their cat and mouse games had gone on for about four years now ever since she had started her monthly bleedings. At first it had started out as just teasing and battling with words, but once Ai turned sixteen three days ago they turned into lustful ruts that became the two's immediate drug. Sesshomaru could not stand to be without her toned out body and Ai loved the feeling of his dominance in the spell. But times like this one was the only time she would allow him his dominance. Otherwise, she would fight him until she had nothing left to prove her own dominance._

_Sesshomaru sank into her slowly enjoying the arching of her back as she tried holding back a vicious moan that just wanted to surface. She clutched on to his shoulders digging her nails into his skin. He began moving his hips into a steady rhythmic pace that sped up quickly._

_Soon he spilled his seed into her and both lay still on his futon wrapped in each other's warmth. Ai coughed into his chest her arms covering her breasts as she moved closer to him._

_"If your father ever finds us like this you know what will befall us, don't you?" She looked up at him slowly his golden eyes watching her intently._

_"You know as well as I that my father spends his nights with a human woman else where." Sesshomaru answered with a hint of disgust in his voice._

_"It's no different from what you are doing. If you hate humans and halflings so much than why lay with me all the time?"_

_He allowed his hand to slide across her hip to rub against her sacred area causing her to close he eyes and arch her back so that her heat was closer to his teasing hand, "Because you are neither demon nor halfling. Nor are you a human so it doesn't matter. Your body is pleasing and I enjoy your company. That is the difference." He took his hand away and stroked her cheek._

_"It is still a sin and will be your downfall, first son of the west." Her tone became challenging and he smiled accepting her challenge. After all he knew he could ease her mind of such nonsense. He decided what his downfall would be and this wasn't it._

_"No, Ai. My downfall is still undecided. But your downfall was decided a long time ago when your mother left you with me." He whispered the last part huskily before claiming her lips in a bruising kiss._

_"No. Weakness is one thing you cannot stand to have. And because I am, actually, a half angel and half human weakness is all you will achieve with me."_

_"Your angel blood cancels out most of your human blood so in actuality you are mostly a being that should've been rid of a long time ago." Sesshomaru pulled her closer so every inch of their bodies were touching._

_"Angels will never die, Lord Sesshomaru. And our nightly meetings are getting too out of control for even someone like you." She breathed into his neck closing her eyes tiredly._

_"Out of control, Ai? Why? Is it because you cannot help the human emotion of love that possesses you when you are near me?" He was being overly confident and Ai didn't like it._

_"I do not love anyone other than my mother, Demon Lord of the West. And I don't love a heartless being like you either."_

_"Do not lie to me, Ai. It's all over your scent. That and fear." He slowly closed his golden eyes holding her close._

_"I do not fear anything."_

_"We shall see, my dear. We shall see."_

_---_

_"Sesshomaru!" Ai screamed running towards him in utter darkness._

_She couldn't see anything in the castle walls because of the darkness that was growing outside. Ai needed him. She needed to find him. Izayoi was in trouble and neither of the dog demons were anywhere to be found._

_Stopping at his chamber door she concentrated on her senses. "He isn't here either." She turned from the room and raced down another hall that lead to her gardens, "Sesshomaru!!!"_

_A hand grabbed her wrist and she found herself being swung around to come face to face with her lover. "What troubles you so?" His eyes searched hers while his senses were on edge feeling her emotions of fear, anger, and passion rush off her in ripples._

_"It's Izayoi! She-She is in tr-" Ai stopped because his face darkened his eyes turning a tint of red._

_"It does not concern me." With that he let her go and moved past her leaving her there dumbfounded. Then she picked up his father's faint scent, "Sesshomaru, your father…"_

_"Has already gone for her. He has made his choice."_

_Ai turned around furious, "And you are going to let him! Sesshomaru, you are his son! You should be helping him save her!"_

_"I want nothing to do with the wench!" Sesshomaru turned back to her his eyes a deep shade of crimson causing Ai to take a step away from him, "I warned him he should've never fallen for the mortal, but he would not hear of it." He snarled in disgust and turned away his eyes seeping back into gold._

_"Sesshomaru…He has… something he wants to protect." She took a step forward running a hand through her long black hair, "Your father knows what he is doing. He is wise beyond reason."_

_"He is foolish to think a human woman can really satisfy him. She will die along with the half breed." Sesshomaru made an attempt to walk away from her the argument giving him a migraine, but her hand grabbing his stopped him in mid step._

_"What do you have against humans? Why can't you see that humans aren't as bad as you make them out to be?"_

_He turned to her angrily, "Because humans are cowards that are lower than dirt and should've never been brought to this earth." Once the words left his mouth he immediately wished they hadn't._

_Ai glared up at him her hurt flaring behind her violet eyes, "You wish I was never born in other words. No matter how you look at it, Sesshomaru, I am still half human. Your blindness to the truth always amazes me. Your pride is so high you think you know everything, but you don't! You don't understand a thing! Not about your father, not about power, and defiantly not about me!" A tear rolled off her cheek and before Sesshomaru could respond she was gone._

_---_

Ai woke suddenly to the sound of a crackling fire and Jaken complaining about how foolish human children were. She sat up slowly from the comfort of Ah-Un's large claw and looked around. Rin and Jaken were seated next to the campfire roasting fish. Sesshomaru was nowhere to be found.

"Master Jaken, where did Lord Sesshomaru go?"

Jaken sighed at the little girl, "He doesn't tell me these things anymore."

"Did he ever?" Ai couldn't stop herself remembering how secretive Sesshomaru had always been.

Jaken glared over at her, "What would you know, wench? You're just a human!"

"Jaken." Sesshomaru's voice came out of nowhere and all five heads, including Ah-Un's turned to the right in his direction.

Jaken gulped, "Sorry, Milord."

Sesshomaru walked over to a tree close to Ai and sat down beneath it. Rin and Jaken went back to eating and Ah-Un went back to his sleep. Ai watched Sesshomaru stare at the sky for a while looking his milky soft skin over. He had lost his left arm at one time. She remembered running into him at that time. He had refused to let her help him. She could've healed him completely, but he wouldn't let her. Now, only at least six months later his arm was back. But how?

"Ai, it is not polite to stare." Sesshomaru's cold voice broke her thoughts, but there was a hint of teasing behind it.

She looked away startled, "Sorry."

He regarded her a moment his golden eyes traveling over her figure before he spoke, "Those girls were mages, correct? They aren't from around here."

Ai nodded looking at him, "Yes. Akari came from the continent. Akahana's heritage originated in the continent a long time ago."

"What made you allow them to follow you? What happened to 'I'll do it alone'?"

"They insisted. What happened to despising the human race?" Ai turned to look at the human child, "You hated humans with a passion. I remember that well."

Sesshomaru followed Ai's gaze and watched Rin curl into a ball next to a tree and fall asleep, "I still do not like humans, but Rin I will tolerate."

"You care about her." He turned back to Ai and found her staring at him with an old fondness.

"Not as much as you seem to think." Sesshomaru informed with an edge to his voice.

"Yes, of course. How could a heartless being care about anything other than himself. Unless you are not as heartless as you would like to make others believe."

"You have not changed, Ai." He gave her one of his rare smiles knowing her response.

"Change is something I don't usually do."

"Just like your fear of me?"

"I never feared you." She informed clutching her legs together to try and stop the heat pooling in from between them.

"It's not hard to tell how much you crave the past."

"The past that you forced yourself to forget or the past full of games that should've never happened?"

"You know exactly which one I am talking about. I get what I want."

Ai saw Jaken watching them from the corner of her eye. Their language of confusing lines that were as clear as air to them was giving him a headache and she knew he couldn't keep up, "We shall see. You will never beat me." She stood and ran for the deeper parts of the forest.

Sesshomaru smiled a smile that made Jaken shudder. If that was the way she wanted to play it then so be it. Jaken blinked and his Lord was gone.

---

_Ai had been going back and forth between the castle and Izayoi making sure that she and baby Inuyasha were safe. Sesshomaru and her had begun to speak to each other less and less, but that did not stop their midnight tumbles that they made sure no one knew about. Sesshomaru's duty at the time was to look for a mate to bring him heirs, but the demon lord avoided it telling the council members he had other matters to deal with before such a thing could happen._

_Ai was sitting on her balcony railing thinking of the past events. Nothing really changed after Sesshomaru's father's death. Only that Sesshomaru became colder towards her and she became more closed off from him. Even though she knew she needed him. She needed all of him to sustain herself. Otherwise, there was no point in living. No reason could compare to the happiness she used to feel in his arms, but now her love for him was growing numb and the lustful ruts between them became worse than they had started. She always woke in his bed with more bruises. More scars upon scars at her hips. His teeth would leave trails across her skin and he never once kissed her since the argument in the hall._

_She missed his kisses. His tender sweet caresses on her skin. A tear slid down her cheek. Maybe she shouldn't be so difficult with him. Maybe she should stop the pointless fighting before the sex. The sex she knew deep down she wanted more than anything. But denying him and making it seem like she didn't want him seemed to be easier because she didn't feel all that weak afterwards like she would after she revealed a closed off secret she wanted no one to know._

_But he was the love of her life. She wanted him even if she couldn't have him. They could never truly be in love because he was supposed to marry another. A royal princess was supposed to marry a man like him. Strong heirs were what the council wanted from him and strong heirs he would get, but not with her. Not with Ai, the woman who knew him inside out. The woman he couldn't stand to leave behind or give to another. He would kill her before that and she knew it. That's why their tumbling was so dangerous, but so sweet._

_A cool breath on her neck sent a shiver down her spine. A clawed hand kneaded her right breast and she lazily rested back against her intruder._

_"What ails you so much that causes your aura to be so dark with dread?" His voice whispered soothingly into her ear nibbling the lobe._

_"My mistakes." She breathed placing her hand over the one at her bosom wanting him to massage slightly harder._

_"Mistakes are a part of life, Ai. Everyone has at least one."_

_"I upset you." She spoke softly._

_"No. I upset myself. I should have apologized as soon as you had come back that night, but my pride would not allow me to. I'm sorry. You know how much I hate being wrong."_

_"I'm sorry for forgetting your feelings towards your father's decision. I…" He placed the hand she held to her lips._

_"No. Don't say a word. Come." He pulled her from the sill by her hands and led her to his chambers._

_There was not a servant in sight along the way and Ai remembered there was a ball going on downstairs. But both knew neither one of them wanted to join in the fun. Rest was the only thing occupying Ai's mind and she wanted to be in Sesshomaru's arms for a while._

_He kissed her lips passionately after locking the door behind him then he led her to the bed where they laid down in a peaceful silence._

_---_

Sesshomaru woke the next morning and lightly kissed Ai on the forehead. She was still sleeping peacefully. One arm under her head the other draped over his against her waist. He took his arm back from her and covered her form with a heavy blanket he had brought from Ah-Un's saddlebag. He looked her over one last time then put on his armor and left the heat of the large, smooth boulder.

Ai stirred for a moment hearing him leave, but did not fully wake. She was remembering the past again. Dreaming it as if reliving every event that had taken place.

"I don't hate you." The words left her mouth unconsciously and Sesshomaru turned back to her.

"I know. You love me." He repeated what he had said years ago knowing it was what she was dreaming.

"Yes…I…." She fell silent again and rolled on to her back closer to him.

He couldn't leave her. Not like this. His love…. No. She would never be his fully. He could not take her as a mate. Not now not ever. His duty… His lands and his people would not allow him to take her even if she could produce powerful heirs, which he knew for a fact she could. Her mother had given birth to a strong woman even if her father was a Halfling. A Halfling named Naraku.

The name caused hatred to pass through him like a wave. Naraku had caused him so much. He lost her because of that bastard and now Ai lay on a rock next to a hot spring in the middle of a forest when she could be laying in his silk covered bed.

Sesshomaru looked to the cloudless sky, "I will defeat you, Naraku. It's a promise I intend on keeping."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N- Just to pre-warn there might be some spelling errors, but I will come back and correct them once i have acess to something with spell check. And also sorry for the short chapter, but I wanted to get something out since I left you guys hanging for so long. I am trying to get beter at that. But anyway, enjoy!

"Lady Ai, how did you and Lord Sesshomaru meet?" Rin asked riding on the two-headed dragon's back with Ai walking next to her.

"I met Sesshomaru when I was an infant. My mother was life long friends with his mother." Ai stared at Sesshomaru's back intently.

They were coming up to the western lands after having traveled for a few days. Ai was bonding quite well with little Rin and Jaken seemed to not mind Ai as much as he used to. But Ai suspected that it was only because Jaken could faintly smell the scent of sex on both his lord and her.

Sesshomaru had encouraged her to fight him every now and again just to build her skill up. These "Training Sessions" were followed by a kiss that turned into something more and they found themselves tangled up in each other's arms again. Ai remembered there was one time that they had been right in the middle of kissing when Rin came into the field where they had battled. Sesshomaru emidiatly pushed Ai away from him and Ai turned from the two slightly embarassed. Rin did not see or she did not inform them of seeing what Sesshomaru and Ai were doing and that put Ai's mind at ease.

"Lord Sesshomaru, we are home!" Rin pipped up smiling once she saw the castle up ahead.

Ai smiled too as the entered the courtyard full of flowers and different kinds of benches. She wanted to ask Sesshomaru if her gardens were still here, but decided to wait a little bit longer. He would explain to her what had changed once the time was right.

"Pipe down, Rin! You are giving me a migrain!" Jaken complained in his high pitched voice.

"Oh please. She only said one sentence it isn't going to kill you. Besides, you are giving me a headache with your complaints." Ai defended the young girl causing Jaken to give a "humph" as a reply before growing quiet.

Ai knew Sesshomaru didn't like how Jaken and her bickered like five-year-olds and tried her best to ignore the imp, but today she was feeling rather rebellious. Sesshomaru glanced in her direction once they got to the main door which notified her that she needed to follow him without speaking. For Jaken and Rin he only said, "Jaken, take Rin to her courters and find Lady Maliko to help her studies."

Jaken replied with a hefting, "Yes, Milord." Before leading the young girl off while a servant took Ah-Un to the stables on the east side of the castle.

Ai followed Sesshomaru into the castle which was decorated exactly as she remembered it. Old fashioned, expensive furniture and paintings were laid out in a modern fashion around the area. As she went up the stairs she noticed that most of the servants were ones she used to know when she had lived here and bowed to her as if she had never left and had lived with them all along.

"Nothng has changed since you were last here. There might've been a new servant here and there, but for the most part no one has changed. Silvermoon is still here and has been keeping your room in the exact way you like it. She has also been tending to your flowers until you were to return so I suppose she will not be needed for that anymore now that you have." They stopped in front of a door on the third floor and he opened it allowing Ai to go inside a head of him.

He had been right. Her room had not changed one bit. Her canopy bed rested against a wall to the left of a balcony that over looked her beautiful garden. A vanity rested against a wall next to a door that led to her closet and another door opposite that lead to her bathing room. A wardrobe rested against the wall on her left and she opened it to reveal all her favorite kimonos of all different shades of colors.

She turned back to him. "Thank you. For leaving everything." She looked down at her kimono that she had been wearing noticing the dirt that covered it.

"I will have Silvermoon up here to bath you and help you get comfortable. Once you have finished I request your presence in my study."

She bowed respectfully, "As you wish, My Lord." Usually, when they were in privacy, she would never address him higher than her, but she needed the practice and reminder just in case she had forgotten.

He stared at her for a moment before leaving the room. She sighed heavily turning back to the rack full of kimonos, 'Today would be a busy one.'

---

Silvermoon had been as hyper and optimistic as ever. She quickly, just like the way she babbled on and on, got Ai bathed, dressed, and groomed before fifteen minutes were up.

"I can't believe it, Lady Ai! Never in my life would I believe in my life would I have believed you could get close to your father let alone trick him into believing you had joined his side! What made him realize he had been tricked?" Silvermoon exclaimed in her happiest voice as she and Ai sat on the queen sized bed disgusing one of Ai's few encounters with her father.

"When he made me go after Sesshomaru. Of all things I could never fight him. Never and so... he caught my lie saying he had known all along before he left me bruised and bleeding. But..." Ai took a shallow breath, "He didn't kill me. He could've. He could've so easily. He could've done just like my-"

"Do you want to die?" Silvermoon took Ai's hand causing her to turn to stare into Silvermoon's rarely serious pale blue eyes.

Ai briefly hesitated because of the intensity of her friend's eyes before answering with a warm smile, "No. Of course not."

Silvermoon smiled back tucking a piece of silver hair behind her pointed ear, "Good. Keep it that way." She stood and then went into the bathroom again, "I do recall our lord requesting your presence, am I right?"

Ai gasped in surprise, "Oh my! I forgot!"

"Better go." Silvermoon popped her head back out as so she could watch Ai jump up and hurry out the door, "Ai, you are so growing up."


	6. Chapter 6

Ai followed the long hallway from her bedroom in a rushed pace. Sesshomaru wouldn't be too upset she was late, would he? She stopped at the door that made a dead end before taking a deep breath and lightly knocking.  
"Enter." Came his masculine voice from the other side and she smiled slightly as the butterflies filled her stomach. She grabbed the doorknob and opened it slowly slipping in through the first chance she got closing it quickly behind her.  
Sesshomaru's study was as filled with books and scrolls as she last remembered it. Nothing seemed to be moved. It was like walking back in time as if Naraku never showed his evil face. And her mother wasn't dead… Or Inutaisho… Or Izayoi…  
"What ails you, Ai? You look sad. Is something not to your liking?" Sesshomaru stood from behind his desk and walked over to stand in front of her.  
"No. It's not that. Everything is perfect, as always. I was just remembering…" She trailed off looking at the ground.  
He raised his hand smoothing his fingertips over her jaw line before tilting it up to look into her beautiful violet eyes, "Your mother. Little memories are things you must let go of, my love. Things are different now and there is nothing you can do to change that."  
"I know. I just… I miss them. I miss playing with little Inuyasha. I miss tugging and clinging on to my mother. I miss Inutaisho's personality and how fatherly he was to me. I miss…." She blinked back the tears welling up in her eyes as she lightly touched his face, "I miss the future we dreamed of. The plans we made. I miss the way nothing mattered except you and me." She buried her head in his chest and silently sobbed.  
Sesshomaru held her close resting his chin on her head while stroking her long hair. They stood like that until there was a knock on the door and a young demoness flitted in. "Lord Sesshomaru, my love, my swee-" She broke off at the sight before her causing Sesshomaru to push Ai away quickly and let out a feral growl.  
"What do you want, Alikoko?" He demanded stepping in front of Ai.  
"I thought we could have some time to ourselves tonight." The strange, beautiful demoness eyed Ai with a curious glare that had jealousy and suspicion written all over it.  
"How many times must I remind you, Lady Alikoko?" Sesshomaru ran over the word hinting at Ai that this demoness was an important one and must be treated with respect, "We are not mated and I have no interest."  
"But, my lord, why do you treat a halfling with more compassion than you show me? I've known you longer than she has. She has just gotten here and you act as if-"  
"Enough!"  
Ai wiped the access tears in her eyes and looked the new woman over. She had long black-blue hair and deep set orange colored eyes. She looked human, but demon energy vibrated off her like heat from a heater. She had a slight tan and was dressed in silk from head to toe obviously showing off her wealth.  
"She was a lover or a former lover at the very least." Alikoko finished anyway.  
Sesshomaru growled at her his eyes flashed red for a brief second then faded when Ai ran her hand over his arm without being noticed by Alikoko, "Leave us be. We are discussing something important and I have no time to deal with you." He turned around to sit back at his desk leaving Ai and Alikoko to stare-glare at each other.  
Ai watched confused as Alikoko glared menacingly at her before turning on her heel and storming out of the study. Ai turned back to Sesshomaru. "Who-?"  
"Alikoko is heir to the south. We met at a ball a few months ago. She hasn't left since and refuses to. She thinks she has a better chance to get close to me by staying, but she is failing miserably. I am not attracted to her at all nor am I interested in mating at the least." He picked up a scroll and began reading it over.  
"She'll tell everyone." She merely whispered.  
"She will not if she values her life." Sesshomaru answered, "If there is anything she is afraid of it is me."  
"How can you be sure?"  
"If Jaken hears any rumors going around about me he immediately reports it. Everyone knows so she will not."  
Ai looked away towards the now closed door then turned back to Sesshomaru, "Well, she matters not to me. I know you better than to go sleeping with some wannabe princess." She sat gracefully on the opposite side of the desk with her right leg draped over her left, "What did you want to discuss with me?"  
"Naraku." He merely said scribbling something down on a piece of parchment.  
"What about him?" She looked away to stare at his huge pile of scrolls he had just gone through.  
"You are sure you don't know his where abouts?" He looked up at her.  
Ai met his eyes, "Would I be here if that were the case?"  
"True." He rolled up the parchment and set it on the pile.  
"Why I thought he was here?"  
"It is evident he was, but no one has seen him since yesterday. I want to do a little searching in the morning."  
"I am going with you, Sesshomaru." Ai challenged him.  
"Ai, that-" He looked up at her then stopped, "Very well. Do as you please."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- YEY! I finally have been able to update! I'm so sorry to all my readers for the wait! I will be back in business beginning with this chapter. I hope you all enjoy it!

Ai awoke, without opening her eyes, to the sound of chirping bluebirds. She breathed in the fresh air of the forest deeply, sinking more into the thick tree roots she rested between. Another chirp caused her eyelids to flutter open to the sun's harmful rays shining in her face. She held her right arm up, blocking the noon sunlight from her violet eyes, while looking around at her surroundings.

Sesshomaru and her had traveled about three days deeper into the west. Meadows and forests lay ahead but there was still never a single sign of Naraku. Ai was starting to think that Kagome had been misinformed about Naraku's whereabouts, but Sesshomaru still reported faint scents of Naraku passing through. The idea of the half demon making his way through Sesshomaru's lands continued to disgust him.

"Sesshomaru?" Ai called standing from her sleeping position. She brushed herself off briefly before walking deeper into the open meadow.

A strong breeze picked up blowing her long violet hair across her face. There was no sign of the demon lord from what she could see from the boulder she stood atop, assessing the beautiful scenery below. Sighing, she stepped down and began walking again towards the opposite side of the lush, green meadow. She remembered him mentioning a stream in the opposite forest maybe he went there to bathe.

A few steps and she found herself knocked over on her back. She bit back a cry and then was thrown across the tall grass a couple yards away. When she stopped rolling every part of her body was throbbing. She landed on her side, curled up in the fetal position. She slowly opened her eyes to see the face she's been dying to see since her last encounter with it.

"Naraku."

His evil smirk sent shivers down her spin, "I'm honored you remember my name, Ai. Although, I am hurt you don't call me father anymore." His red eyes narrowed at the sight of her down below. He floated in the air with his arms crossed over his chest with bone-like tentacles surrounding him coming out of his back.

Ai shot up jumping a few feet back from him in a defensive position. Crouching, she held her right hand, palm out, in front of her while her other hand helped her balance on her heels, "That will never happen again!" She concentrated on her hand, feeling the familiar tingle of magic reach from her shoulder to her fingertips and threw a purple ball of power at his chest.

He jumped back dodging the attack. "Never hesitating. You're just like your mother. I wonder though… What traits of mine do you still possess?" His tentacles grew longer and headed straight for Ai who saw it coming.

Acting quickly, she pulled out the dagger she hid inside her sleeve and skillfully threw it to cut off each of the tentacles one after the other. Naraku chuckled obviously amused at something. A fog suddenly swept in the once peaceful meadow and Ai was forced to stop her movements to assess her surroundings better.

The thick, wet fog swirled from Naraku into the huge expanse of space that made the meadow. The fog seemed to know where the forest, surrounding them, began because it would not wonder past the meadow's edge. Ai's world suddenly went from a clear, nice day to a dark, dreary grey. She turned to where Naraku had once been to find nothing. Holding the dagger protectively close she wondered over to where she had last seen Naraku to only find the bamboo pelt he usually used to wear. A low cackle caused her to spin around with the dagger parallel with the ground in her hand in front of her.

"Stop playing your foolish games, Naraku! Fight me!" Ai cried throwing the sharp knife at his head.

He laughed again. The evil sound piercing Ai's sensitive ears. Naraku swiftly caught the blade between his index and middle finger before flinging it into the forest to the left of him. "Foolish child. You should know better than to throw things at your elders. Especially your parent." Naraku taunted planting his black booted feet on the ground.

"Must I remind you again that you are not my father in anyway to me?" Ai glared moving her hands in a circular motion in front of her forming a purple-ish pink ball of energy in-between her palms. She pushed the magical energy, hard, at Naraku who quickly moved to the side and let it go past into a tree, which exploded in pink dust.

Ai watched dumbfounded. There was no way that the energy ball could be that slow to let Naraku simply move and let it go past. Something was wrong. Ai wasn't moving at her usual stamina and her powers weren't as strong either. She considered the fact that Naraku's fog had something to do with it. And then another thought occurred to her. Where was Sesshomaru?

Naraku attacked her again with his tentacles and Ai moved, twisting, rolling, and turning, trying to avoid the attacks which were getting harder and harder to do the more she moved. One tentacle point scratched her right cheek which was now dripping blood down her face and another had wrapped itself around her ankle, but she managed to fend it off with a ball of magical light.

"Yes, Ai, continue wearing yourself out. Soon, I will have captured you." Naraku whispered to himself watching his lonely daughter slowly manage to dodge one tentacle after another.

Ai had to admit to herself after an intense ten minutes of almost being crushed and scratched by Naraku that she was getting tired. So tired she could almost fall to the ground asleep. This wasn't normal. _This has to be the effects of the fog. _she thought as she slowly tried to maneuver. Ai was beginning to lose control over her movements. She dodged one tentacle and turned around to find another aimed for her stomach. She swerved to the right, but it didn't do her much good. The blade-like point dug into her right side and sent her falling to the soft grassy ground. She curled herself into a ball placing her hands on the new wound to slow the bleeding. Blood was staining the short, plain blue kimono she wore. Ai knew she was wide open for another attack. One that could kill her, but she was too tired to move. Her whole mind and body craved sleep. She watched shamefully as Naraku took several steps towards her, white tentacles at the ready. She wanted to lift a force field around herself, but didn't have the energy to do that either.

When Naraku was close enough the if Ai barely reached out she'd touch his feet he knelt down and stroked her bleeding cheek tenderly which sent a shiver through Ai's body and she quickly, surprising herself, smacked it away. "Don't-!" The one word was the only thing Ai could say before a blue beam of energy struck Naraku and sent him flying backwards. Ai didn't have to turn around to see who her savior was. She knew from the attack.

"Sesshomaru…" The word left her lips as her eyelids finally closed listening to the sounds of his steps as he moved closer to her. When his footsteps stopped just behind her, Ai pictured him looking down at her. She knew his face would be passive, but she also knew that he was concerned about her. Her mind couldn't take much longer and as Sesshomaru left her side, weapon ready on Naraku, she slipped into her beautiful dreams.


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm surprised she healed so quickly from her injuries."

"Don't be young Rin. Lady Ai has the ability to heal pretty quickly despite the toughest of injuries."

Something wet touched Ai's forehead gently. It's cold scratchiness caused her to want to turn away, but the sudden thought of pain coursing through her body reminded her moving was the worst idea ever. Her eyes remained closed, but she could sense Rin and Silvermoon at her bed side. Sesshomaru's aura wafted off of him like nice smelling perfume from somewhere in the room.

"Does it hurt, Milady?" Silvermoon's soothing voice came into her ear once more as she mopped her forehead again with the rough fabric.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Ai opened her eyelids. Candlelight clouded her vision before she was able to focus her dark orbs on her friend's faces against the dark of the room. Silvermoon was hovering over Ai's head on her right and Rin's curious yet concerned eyes were watching Ai closely beside Silvermoon. She knew Sesshomaru was not near her and did not dare to turn in any way to see where he was.

"Wh-what happened?"

"Lord Sesshomaru said you were attacked."

"Why couldn't you fight very well?" Both females responded almost simultaneously.

Ai stared up at them in confusion, her mind trying to comprehend the words being said to her. Attacked? By who? Naraku. Naraku was the cause of it all.

Ai started having flashbacks of her past. Her mother smiling down at her with bright violet eyes. The image vanished to be replaces by her mother's limp body lying on a tree branch looking as if she were reaching for the ground twenty feet below her. She then began having flashbacks of crying into Inutaisho's arms for help and for the loss of her beloved mother. She remembered the promise she mad to herself at that lonely age of six that she would go on living into the future with no revenge. That would've been what her mother would've wanted for her. Her body jerked and jolted with each passing image moving through her head. Visions of her far away, forbidden romance with the future demon lord invaded her mind as did the moment when she was torn from him by an unbearable force known only as Naraku. His face haunted her for weeks with no relief until she finally decided to leave her precious lover to pursue him on her own. However, that kept leading to tragedy. Even when she was mere millimeters from her goal he'd always manage to slip through her fingers like the snake he was. Just like the day with the fog...

Rin and Silvermoon watched dumbfounded at Ai's sudden reaction to their words and before they knew it they were moved aside by their lord who pressed two fingers to her forehead which stilled Ai's movements and her eyes snapped closed.

"What was-"

"Nothing. Go to bed, Rin." Sesshomaru ordered, cutting the young child off before she could finish.

"Yes, my lord!" She nodded scurrying out of the room.

"My lord...?" Silvermoon approached him reaching out a clawed hand to grip his shoulder, but he smacked it away.

"Go." The order was simple and deadly. Silvermoon knew if she did not leave now she may never have a future. She bowed before leaving his chambers closing the doors softly behind her.

Sesshomaru cupped Ai's snowy, soft cheek. Her black lashes fanned out against the soft cushions that they rested on. How could he fail so easily? He let her get hurt. He should never have allowed her to join him. He wished he had kept her out of the loop about Naraku's whereabouts and left her with those low level mages. No, this all started before that. If he had gotten food himself for Rin... Yes... without Rin there was no hope of Ai finding him again. Never ever. Sesshomaru gripped the young maidens small hand, closing his eyes, and bringing it up to his face. A tear rolled on to it as he continued wishing for things. He wished even more that his wishes would never come true. He wished he had never met her or she him. He wished his chest would stop hurting so. He wished...

A pink light beyond his eye lids caused them to spring open to find her hand glowing a vivid bright pink. He looked down at her. Violet eyes stared up at him emotionlessly. That was when he became aware of the water leaking from his golden orbs. He also noticed the cooling sensation overwhelming his body. It seemed to soothe his emotions somehow. Like everything was alright with the world, with her.

"Sesshomaru, please don't cry. Its not befitting you." She simply said. Her face... the vulnerability, the love, the passion, the pain... it all slipped past her facade just as the words left her perfect lips while her beautiful violet eyes dimmed into her original dark ones. The glowing ceased and she blinked a few times to register him standing over her. "Sesshomaru...?"

Bending down he caught her lips in a searing kiss. Her could feel her tense up before she was overtaken with his emotions and returned the fiery passion with one of her own. He wrapped his arms around her bringing her up to him. He had her sitting up in his arms before she cried out in pain. She pulled away clutching her side taking in sharp breaths.

"The cut... it... hasn't' healed completely yet." Sesshomaru informed slowly bringing her down to rest again.

"I'm sorry, Sesshomaru. I don't' know what has come over me. I feel as though all my magic, my power, is draining away from me. I was never, should never, be like this. My angel-"

"Ai. Calm yourself." Sesshomaru tucked the quilts and blankets under her chin trying to regain his composure from his sudden outburst of emotions, "You will recover. I found a certain type of poison in the air. It seems to have effected your angel blood which is why it has affected you so harshly."

"The fog was the poison?" Ai questioned placing a hand lightly over the bandaged wound that was ebbing pain throughout her body.

"What fog?"

"There was fog... You didn't' see it?" Ai almost bolted upright had Sesshomaru not held her down.

"No. I did not." His eyes searched her face. She was confused and there was still faint sighting of pain. He hoped she'd heal herself soon. He was curious though to know what she had seen. But there was no way to do that, except one. But Sesshomaru would not allow himself to do something so foolish. In fact, looking at her now he knew he should leave her to rest before she allows her mind to wonder over the topic any further. "I have work that needs to be done. I also want to know what this fog you say is. Maybe there is a connection between it and the poison. I will find out. Get some sleep."

Ai watched almost crestfallen as her demon lord stood up from the bed, blew out the candle at her bedside, and then silently left the room. She wanted to reach out for him, to call his name and bring him back, but she knew if she had she would've felt even weaker. Her emotions were overflowing her body. She was angry at herself and Naraku for causing so much trouble and pain. She was also disappointed with her abilities. She should have been able to defeat him or at least send Naraku running. But instead, she had to be saved by Sesshomaru and lower herself as a fighter below him rather than at the same status they had once shared a couple weeks ago.

Was it even days? Ai wondered staring up at the dark ceiling. She had no idea how long she had been sleeping. She was starting to feel a bit hungry so it must've been longer than a few days. Maybe a week? Ai didn't' know and she was too tired to call someone and find out. She slowly fell asleep hoping that the next time she woke up she would be completely healed.

Several days passed and Sesshomaru could not understand why Ai's healing abilities would not allow her to fully heal. And on top of that, he had more theories about this so called "fog" than he had answers. It irritated him to no end. He could not be around anyone without almost hurting the person. Except for Rin and Ai of course. He came in to visit her almost every hour hoping that she would be sitting in bed smiling at him wondering how his day went and all he has figured out. However, each time he met with disappointment. She'd either be sleeping soundlessly or slowly eating miso soup.

Glancing outside the large window that made up his office-like room, he noted the setting sun over the horizon. Ai should be getting her dinner now. He glanced back at the treaty held in between his fingers. Pathetic demons that called themselves lords wanting to make a pact with him. Standing he ripped the parchment to pieces before exiting the room. How foolish. As if the mighty demon lord would even consider trading with a low life demon. He still had yet to get rid of the daughter.

An unpleasant scent came to Sesshomaru's nostrils and before he knew it he was standing in the entry way of the room Ai resided in. Rin was running around arranging flowers in decorative vases around what used to be Sesshomaru's chambers. However, it was not the little girl that disturbed him. It was the half demon in red standing at the foot of the bed with the strange miko sitting next to Ai's bedside. The sight infuriated Sesshomaru. Ai looked as if she had just been woken up while the miko, Kagome, was talking to her softly as if they were close friends. It took all Sesshomaru had not to strangle the young girl, kill his half blood brother and throw them both out of his manor.

Inuyasha, the half demon, whirled around to meet matching golden eyes to his brother's. "Now don't be getting all mad, Sesshomaru. Kagome wanted to make sure that Ai was doing ok." For some odd reason Inuyasha was being calm rather than trying to pick a fight with his older brother, which baffled Sesshomaru.

"Who let you in?" Sesshomaru demanded as calmly as he could trying to maintain the stoic look on his face.

"We let ourselves in." Came his reply from somewhere else in the room.

Sesshomaru turned sharply to the far corner of the room near the balcony where two young women, Sesshomaru recognized distinctly, stood facing him with arms either crossed or on their hips.

"We met them a few days before the attack." Kagome explained looking up at Sesshomaru, "They say they knew you and that they had been looking for you and Naraku."

Looking back over at the two mages Sesshomaru noticed not much had changed about them besides the fact that they wore their hair up rather than down today. Must've been because they just recently bathed. He could smell the incense that he knew was located in his bath on both of them. He was starting to feel agitated. He wanted these intruders to leave. Where were his servants anyway? Why had they not told him they were here? Why were they using his things? Sesshomaru strained himself to not lash out on Inuyasha. He brought them here and Sesshomaru would see to it that he and all his friends would leave.

While Sesshomaru was trying to collect himself Akari and Akahana made their way to the opposite side of Ai's bed. She smiled up at them with her tired dark eyes seeming to enjoy the company of the miko and the two mages. Sesshomaru couldn't help watching them fawn over Ai as if she just had an illness she was fighting. The blonde, Akari, Sesshomaru remembered, took a cloth from the large bowl filled with water at Ai's bedside, ringed the cloth out, and patted Ai's damp head. Akahana and Kagome had each of her hands and talked to her wearing concerned smiles on their faces. Sesshomaru could tell that the women sincerely cared for her. His brother stayed where he was watching Sesshomaru closely. Closing his eyes and letting out a shallow breath Sesshomaru made his decision. He would let them stay until Ai was well. He would decide what to do about them after that.


	9. Chapter 9

"Sesshomaru?" Ai peered in around the corner into his study to find the demon lord at his desk with his nose in a book.  
He set it down and motioned her to come in. "How are you feeling?"  
"A lot better." She replied waking in, closing the heavy door behind her, "As you can tell I'm walking again. Although…" She looked out the window moving behind him, "I've lost my magic."  
Ai stared at the sunset remembering earlier that day when she had tried to tap into her powers, to test them. A simple orb was impossible to form in the palm of her hand. She had bit back the urge to tear up in front of her friends at that time, but now she found it hard to hide her emotions.  
Sesshomaru stared at her back for a long while. She finally turned to him tears brimming her eyes. "I don't know what to do! I've relied on my powers for so long that its become a habit. I can handle a sword, bow and arrows, even an ax, but I can barely get close enough to Naraku with my powers. How can I ever expect to get close to-"  
"That is out of the question!" Sesshomaru shot up grabbing her tightly by the shoulders, "I will NOT put you in danger again! Next time you WILL remain here!" Sesshomaru couldn't fathom himself. He was at a point where he couldn't even control his temper. His eyes had a deadly red tint to them and he bore is fangs mercilessly at her. Something he thought he'd never do.  
Ai felt her back hit the wall as he pinned her to it staring deep into her eyes. This wasn't something she was expecting. She had expected him to be encouraging that she somehow would regain her powers. However, instead, he was being negative. He didn't want her to leave the palace ever again. To be trapped here like a child, Ai would not do it. She glared back at him ignoring the intimidating sight in front of her face.  
"Sesshomaru, you know I won't." Ai stood defiantly, "I will go after him myself with or without you. He did this to me and I will see to it that he pays!"  
"Ai, you are being reckless." His claws began to dig into her skin at her shoulders and she bit back the urge to cry out.  
"I'm not! I know what I'm doing! I want to do this for her!"  
"That's what you keep saying, but your mother wouldn't want this for you! She wouldn't want you to waste your life like this!" He growled throwing her into the wall again in his uncontrollable anger.  
Tears were rolling down Ai's face. Mostly because of the pain ebbing in her shoulders, but also because she couldn't argue with him. She needed him to understand. "Sesshomaru… please…. I don't want to be locked up like this. I need to do this. If I don't… I'll… I'll always live with the regret of not doing anything to avenge my mother." She looked up at him. She was begging him, if not, pleading with him to understand, but she knew that was futile.  
Sesshomaru's eyes bore down into her own, ignoring the words lying within them, "I will make you stay here where it is safe." His tone was dark, threatening, but his eyes began to lose their glow, "If I have to lock you in your room so be it. I will not lose you again to that monster. Do you understand?" He let go of her arms turning from her to return to his seat at his desk.  
Ai remained where she stood her dark violet eyes wide in shock and horror. He ignored her wishes. He was being selfish! If she had had her powers she'd have thrown him out the window and slammed him to the ground! She couldn't, wouldn't believe what she had just heard! There was no compassion or concern in his voice at all.  
He looked up at her. His golden eyes cold and emotionless. "Are you going to just stand there?"  
She blinked, glared at him, and then stormed out of the room slamming the door behind her. If he wanted to lock her up and be the selfish asshole everyone claimed he was then so be it. But she was going to have nothing to do with it or him.  
Sesshomaru almost flinched as the door slammed into place. He knew what she would try to do. She would return to her room and wait until nightfall when he would go to sleep so she could make her escape. He exhaled slowly. She was predictable. It was no wonder Naraku could get a hold of her so easily like that. He couldn't leave her side for five minutes without her getting attacked. He stood from his seat and turned to the large window looking to the sunset just beyond the horizon. There had to be a way to keep her here without making her feel trapped. But how? Sesshomaru glared at the pinkish-orange sky. There was one. He shook his head in disapproval of the idea. It wouldn't work. The council had ceased to urge him to mate. They had gotten to the point, a few years ago, that caused them to stop caring. Sesshomaru smirked to himself. The fools probably wouldn't care who he mated. It could be a fly as long as he had an heir. His face lost all emotion as he turned into his study to stare at the door she had just exited from. That was a problem for him. If he were to mate Ai, there would be no guarantee that there would be a child born to him. Angels and demons could never be mixed unless there was a significant amount of human blood between them. Like Naraku's.  
The name infuriated Sesshomaru. He wished he could throwing something out the window just to break it. But he wasn't an immature child. He would control his temper from now on. She may have ignored the look on his face when he was starting to lose control, but he could see the fear hidden beneath her pools. For once, she had been afraid of him. Not that he blamed her. She had been reduced to nothing but a mix of demon and human blood that now pumped through her veins. Her angelic blood did not leave her. Sesshomaru could still sense it's presence it just lay dormant inside her body. He had to admit that Naraku was very crafty, but he might actually had given Sesshomaru a chance. She could bear him a child as long as her blood remained dormant for the amount of time. Plus, she could sharpen up on her weapon usage while she waited for her magic to return. Sesshomaru knew it would not take a life time for the magic to come back. Most demons and mages that came across such a power as the one Naraku used on Ai, had there powers back no later than a matter of months. Maybe enough time for Ai to bear him an heir. Sesshomaru knew Naraku was buying time for something. But at the same time, he was, in a way, helping Ai out too. Most likely unintentionally.  
Sesshomaru placed a clawed hand on his desk staring at a piece of parchment. He had come to a decision. Even if she did not bear an heir for him he knew he would mate no other. It had to be her. He would claim her and he'd do it tonight.

Silvermoon watched her mistress pull an arrow from the quiver at her back and shoot it at the furthest tree she could find with her bow. She could tell Ai was frustrated. The only time she came out to the fields to shoot arrows was when she was extremely annoyed or frustrated. It saddened her maid. She had over heard the last bit of Ai's and Sesshomaru's conversation because she had been walking by the room to return to Ai's room.  
"If I have to lock you in your room so be it. I will not lose you again to that monster. Do you understand?" The sharp words pierced Silvermoon's heart. She had known the couple since she was little. They were a few years older than she, but she watched them and saw the love that bloomed between them. She also watched it die the day Naraku took Ai from her lord.  
Ai's knees buckled beneath her just before she was able to grab for another arrow. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she let go of the wooden bow to cover her face with her hands. Silvermoon watched saddened while Ai sobbed. She could understand her frustration. Ai considered herself to be strong, physically and mentally, however, her emotions needed some work every now and then. Silvermoon could tell that every single day with Sesshomaru, Ai had to keep herself in check. Their lord affected her emotions in ways that Ai could not completely understand. As happy has Silvermoon knew Ai was here at the palace she also knew that the happiness also had a negative counterpart. As long as her father was out in the world causing trouble, Ai could not sit and be "happy".  
Slowly, the younger female made her presence known. She crept out from behind her hiding place of leaves and made her way through the tall grass. Ai did not look up, but the futile movement to stop her tears let Silvermoon know she was aware.  
"Milady? Why don't you let me run you a hot bath with lavender? It would relax you and ease your mind." She knelt down about a foot away to not over step her boundary. Silvermoon was a close friend to her mistress, but she would not ruin Ai's reputation as a noble woman by letting their friendship be known.  
"No. Leave me be. I don't want to set foot in that castle. I would rather die out here." Ai continued to hide the tears as Silvermoon bowed again to leave. Just as she was about to stand Ai spoke again, "You heard, didn't you? What happened in his study." Slowly, her pale face came out from it's hiding in the sleeves of her light blue kimono. Tear streaks stained her perfect complexion and her dark hair fell back to look up at the open, moonlit sky.  
"Yes. Only the last bit though. Lady Ai, what will you do? Will you leave us again?"  
Ai slowly lowered her head a deep sadness overtaking her face, "I don't know, Silvermoon. I want to. I want to take my friends and continue what we started before I ever ran into Sesshomaru. But there is a part of me that is fighting me." She reached her right hand and touched it to her chest where her heart would be, "A part of me that thinks Sesshomaru is right. That I need to be thinking about what my mother really wanted for me. I don't have very many memories of her, but I know she wanted me to be happy. And married." Ai started tearing up again hugging herself tightly, "Something she was never able to do." The tears flowed more violently this time and Silvermoon couldn't sit through it any longer.  
"Milady, come. You need a bath and to get some sleep. No more worrying about Naraku or your mother tonight." She firmly, but gently, grabbed Ai by the arm and led her back inside.  
Ai soaked in the massive tub, while Silvermoon massaged her scalp with soap and then rinsed. "You can go, Silvermoon. Thank you, but I can do the rest."  
She bowed, understanding her need to be alone, and then left the room.  
Ai sunk in to the warm water allowing it to barely touch the tip of her nose. She soaked in the lovely smell of lavender and slowly began to feel her mind to clear. When she was finally able to stop thinking about almost everything she began to wash her body before leaving the warm waters of the tub and wrap herself in a soft white towel. She left the room and entered her own moving to the bed where Silvermoon had laid out her night kimono. Ai was about to caress the soft silky fabric when she sensed a presence that shattered her peaceful mind in an instant. She whipped around just in time to see her visitor touch down on her balcony.  
"What do you want?"


	10. Chapter 10

If Sesshomaru hadn't expected the glare that was directed at him the demon lord probably would have inwardly flinched. Ai stood next to her bed wrapped in a soft towel facing him on the balcony. Her dark violet eyes bore into his golden ones with anger and hurt. "I asked you a question, Sesshomaru. If you aren't going to answer it then leave." He watched her clutch her right hand to her chest to make sure the towel wouldn't drop and reveal herself to him as she stood stubbornly in front of him.

Amber, emotionless eyes stared back at her. He might have smiled at her defiance if she hadn't left off his title out of his spoken name. Her attitude and her actions made it clear to him that she was angry to the point where she did not care that she had shown disrespect to her lord in his castle. A problem he would have to correct. His eyes narrowed and suddenly he was upon her. She let out a quiet gasp of surprise as her back it the back wall of her room. Her wrists were pinned to the wall by his hands. The towel barely kept over her breast due to his body against hers.

"Let me remind you whose palace you are currently in." Sesshomaru growled into her ear digging his poisonous claws into her wrists.

He watched her jaw tighten in pain, but she didn't respond at first. A second passed and Sesshomaru noticed her palms beginning to glow a bright pink and he quickly removed himself from her and jumped backwards into the air dodging the orb that flew towards him, but missed and slammed into a vase sitting across the room. The glass shattered into a thousand little shards across the floor. Deep red roses falling delicately in the mess.

Slowly, he touched back down on the ground. His black boots breaking the shattered glass further. Sesshomaru kept his golden eyes on the young woman who had slumped to the ground against the wall clutching the towel to her chest. Her dark hair covered her eyes, but he could still see the tears that were falling down her soft cheeks. However, what troubled him the most was the way he could see her shaking. Her slender body was trembling and then began pulsing. She hugged herself biting her bottom lip drawing ruby red blood trying to fight against something growing deep inside her.

Sesshomaru couldn't bring himself to move. He was frozen watching the girl as she fell to her left side in the fetal position shaking and pulsing in front of him.

Strong demonic energy was growing in the room and it only took the demon lord a millisecond to realize that the energy was coming from her. She was fighting her demon blood that was trying to over come the human blood inside her. He knew that the growing demonic aura would attract the other servants to come see the source and knew he had to do something about it. But what? He glanced around the room, but saw nothing that would help calm her demonic blood. His eyes fell on her and he was quickly reminded of Inuyasha's demonic transformation. Ai's beautiful nails were growing into claws and the spider-demon mark from her father was forming on to her porcelain back. She looked up at him her eyes flashing between violet and red. Sesshomaru could tell she was trying to regain control of her body, but the human part of her wasn't strong enough to overcome the demonic blood. Ai was sweating, panting, and in pain. It irritated Sesshomaru just to watch her become all of a sudden vulnerable.

Did Naraku know this would happen? Sesshomaru thought to himself watching as Ai reached a clawed hand out to him.

"Sesshomaru…. Help… Me."

Her pleading violet eyes tore at his heart and suddenly gave him the strength to move. He grabbed the wrist of the clawed hand she had reached out to him and took her into his arms bridle style. She was still fighting the transformation to his disbelief, but also to his relief. If she did manage to transform fully into her demon form the only thing for him to do would be knock her out and take her to her friends, but that wouldn't look good on his part. He already dreaded the thought of going to ask them for help, but he really didn't know what to do to stop her transformation.

Ai groaned clutching at her chest with her claws where her heart would be, almost drawing blood, "It hurts!"

Sesshomaru was gone from the room in a flash and standing before the smaller room where Inuyasha, the gang, and the mages were sleeping. Inuyasha was at the door before Sesshomaru could kick it down.

"What is going on?" He asked before seeing Ai curled up in pain in Sesshomaru's arms.

"Her demonic blood is consuming her. I need the priest, the monk, and/or the mages to fix it." Sesshomaru glared at Inuyasha's constant ignorance.

"Feh! Couldn't figure it out yourself , could you-"

"Sesshomaru!" Ai cut off Inuyasha clutching at the collar of Sesshomaru's hoari, her claws piercing the fabric.

Inuyasha's eyes went wide at the ferocity of the young woman's bright red eyes and he quickly darted back into the room to wake up the two girls. Sesshomaru entered consciously aware of the proximity of Ai's claws to his skin. He set her on the bed Kagome directed him to, which happened to be hers, and Miroku came around to his side.

"Kagome and I could try to purify her demon blood for now to keep it from doing anything more. Akahana mentioned a while ago that she and Akari could put a charm on something for Ai to wear that would keep her demon blood dormant. Much like Tensaiga does for Inuyasha." MIroku told Sesshomaru.  
Sesshomaru stared at Ai whose claws were now digging into the bed. Her eyes were closed and a single fang stuck out of her mouth to stab itself in her bottom lip. "I don't care what you do. Just do it." He moved to the far corner where he could watch to make sure Ai would be safe, but away from the Miko whose purifying power was strong.

Kagome looked unsure around the room. Sesshomaru made her nervous, but with Inuyasha's nod of approval and Miroku position at the end of the bed with his staff set before him she was able to gather her courage and place a fingertip on Ai's forehead. The scream that left AI's mouth was deafening to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's ears. Shippo clung to Kagome's legs attempting to hide from the demon lord. Sesshomaru flinched involuntarily at the sound wanting to struck down the young miko and chanting monk in order to save Ai from this torment, but he knew they had to proceed in order to save her. His golden eyes shifted to Inuyasha who was watching his brother intently. The brothers stared each other down ignoring Ai's screams in the background. Inuyasha watched for signs of his brother to lose control and attack his friends and Sesshomaru glared at Inuyasha for watching him. As if the great demon lord would ever lose control over a mere woman.

"Hurry, girls! We don't have much time!" Miroku took a moment from chanting to look at Akari and Akahana to see what progress they had made with the item they had to make.

"We are trying, Miroku. But we can't find an object with a strong enough attachment to Ai." Akari replied throwing down one of Kagome's bags. Ai was growing quiet. Her eyes closed, but her breathing was still rapid and she was still pulsing and sweating.

"What kind of attachment does this item have to possess?" Sesshomaru questioned.  
Akari started digging through another bag ignoring the demon lord still irritated by the way he treated them not too long ago. Akahana rolled her eyes at her friend and turned to faced the silver haired demon and his brother. "The item has to be something Ai can carry with her until she gets her angel blood back. It also has to be something that has deep meaning or importance to her. If you have something like that it would be very helpful." She turned to finish looking through bags and junk that she could find.

Sesshomaru thought for a moment. He knew Ai inside and out and he also knew that there wasn't a single materialistic thing that she cherished. He began to think of something. Jewelry came to mind, but he couldn't remember ever seeing her wear any because she wanted to. The only time Ai wore any kind of jewelry was when she had to for parties.

He glanced down at Inuyasha's sword secured at his brother's hip. Their father had given his fang to the younger brother to help him control his demonic half from devouring him. Sesshomaru wondered if this technique would work for Ai as well. However, the demon lord wasn't sure how exactly strong Ai's demonic power was. Her angelic power had always managed to cancel it out completely. This was his first time witnessing her demonic aura, which, for a woman with a fourth of demonic blood, was pretty strong.

Kagome, feeling that enough of Ai's demonic blood had been, for the moment, controlled, removed her index finger from Ai's forehead while Miroku turned to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. "The purification will only last a few more minutes before Ai's demonic blood tries to resurface." He paused turning to Akari and Akahana, "No luck?"

Akari shook her head sadly, "Ai never liked to hold on to materialistic things and she told us that all her precious possessions from her mother had been destroyed."

Sesshomaru mentally nodded at the blonde's information. It was true Ai had nothing of her mother's anymore because Naraku had managed to destroy everything when he had killed her. Remembering this, Sesshomaru wondered if Naraku had been planning this for a long time.

Ai groaned and everyone in the room turned to face her lying on the bed. "We don't have much time." Kagome whispered.

"Use my fang." Sesshomaru said emotionlessly. There was no guarantee this idea would work, but it was better trying then standing around doing nothing.

"You think that will work, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha questioned looking at his brother with what looked like slight remorse to Sesshomaru who would have called the younger sibling out on his "brotherly love" that he was showing at the moment, but the circumstances were a little too serious for that now.  
Instead, Sesshomaru didn't answer. He merely ripped his right fang out of his mouth like it was nothing. The two mages watched in horror, Sesshomaru assumed they didn't understand that for a strong demon of his strength the simple task didn't cause him any pain.

He wiped the tooth clean and handed it to Miroku. "I don't have anything to put it on for her to wear."

Akahana stepped closer to the monk and demon lord holding up a silver chain. "We can put it on this." She held her hand out to Miroku to take Sesshomaru's fang and placed it in the palm of her hands close to the necklace.

Ai groaned cringing every muscle in her body. Her eyes remained closed, but Sesshomaru knew they must still be switching colors as she fought the blood running in her veins. Akahana clasped the items together and closed her eyes to concentrate. Everyone in the room stepped away from the young mage as a light wind mysteriously surrounded her and her hands began to glow a bright green color. Her fiery red hair fanned out behind her and Sesshomaru almost thought her beautiful in her light green Yukata.

Ai almost screamed at the pain that was overcoming her just as Akahana finished with the spell. She quickly made her way to her friend and clasped the necklace around her neck, jumping back in surprise Ai immediately shot upright as soon as the fang made contact with her skin. Her dark violet eyes blinked confused at the people surrounding her in the dark tiny room.

"Where am I?"

Akahana and Kagome looked at each other uneasily not sure how to respond to the question. Instead, everyone in the room looked to Sesshomaru and Inuyasha to say something. Inuyasha growled lowly in his throat irritated, "What do you remember? You don't remember how you got here?"

Ai shook her head never taking her eyes off the two brothers standing next to each other. She was a little bit shocked that Inuyasha wasn't trying to annoy Sesshomaru or that Sesshomaru wasn't trying to kill him for once. "The only thing I remember is getting ready for bed and-"

"What happened?" Sango burst in the room, her demon slayer uniform on with small kirara at her heels. "I sensed a strange demonic aura and thought I better come back and make sure you guys were alright."

"We are fine." Kagome reassured with a slight smile.

AI turned from Sango back to Kagome, "Strange demonic aura?" Her eyes locked with Sesshomaru who kept his eyes on her, "What happened, Lord Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru stared at her almost waiting for her eyes to change back into the deep red hue, but they never did. He stepped towards her causing Kagome and Shippo to back away so he could make his way to Ai. "We have things to discuss." He merely said before taking the young woman into his arms and disappearing with her from the room.

"That was a little strange." Sango murmured turning back to her friends. "So, before I start my journey back to the demon-slayer village, you guys mind filling me in?"


	11. Chapter 11

Ai's body hit the soft bed hard. She quickly sat up in time to see Sesshomaru walk away from her to shut the doors of her balcony. She looked down at herself to find her body completely exposed since the towel had fallen away as soon as she hit the bed. Ai hurriedly grabbed her sleeping yukata and pulled it over her.

"You do realize I have already seen you naked, Ai." Sesshomaru stated standing in front of her.

She didn't look at him afraid she would do something she knew she shouldn't, "What happened, Lord Sesshomaru? Why was I in the other room and not here?"

The demon lord sat on the edge of the bed next to her observing the dark haired woman emotionlessly, "Your demon blood was beginning to consume you and it was necessary to take you to Inuyasha and your friends in order to stop it."

Ai clutched the light silk to her chest tightly, "Will this happen often?"

"Not as long as you continue wearing that." He nodded to the necklace around her neck with his fang dangling from it against her skin.

Ai looked down noticing the fang for the first time. "Sesshomaru, this is...?" Ai fingered the small object cautiously so she didn't cut herself on the sharp, pearly white fang.

"It will protect you until your angel blood comes back into affect." He took her hand away from it causing her to look up in his topaz eyes in surprise. "We have something we have to seriously talk about."

She almost glared at him and took her hand away, but she decided against it knowing it would mean trouble if she let her temper get out of hand. Instead she let him know she may of temporarily blacked out, but she still remembered their argument earlier that day. "I'm still mad at you, Lord Sesshomaru."

He almost smiled at her comment. He hadn't forgotten the argument either which reminded him he still had a plan he needed to carry out. "You have heard about my situation, haven't you?"'

"What situation?" She asked curiously taking her hand back and tucking her legs underneath her still covering her body with her sleeping yukata.

"My finding a mate situation, Ai." Sesshomaru did let slip a triumphant grin this time when her dark violet eyes widened.

"Sesshomaru, if I were to become... that..." She trailed off the word, "It would complicate what I need to do. I can't give you heirs, Sesshomaru, you know that." She got off the bed and started pacing the room folding the yukata around her. "It's impossible. Besides, I'm still determined to go after Naraku, I don't care whether or not thats what you want from me." She stopped in front of him.

He grabbed her left arm pulling her into his lap her legs on either side of his hips giving her a good feel of his arousal. "What if I promised you something?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, "What could you promise me that would make me change my mind?" "I am not going to let Naraku go either, Ai. I still plan on getting even with him myself." She gave him a confused look so he continued, "My proposition is, if you allow me to mate you, because we both know I'd never mate anyone else, I'll allow you to go with me on these expeditions to kill Naraku. However, you can only come along as long as you are not pregnant."

Ai laughed lightly grabbing on to his shoulders while wrapping her legs around him. The folds of her yukata opened up slightly to reveal her breasts to The Lord of the West. Her heat was beginning to ache for him, his hands were at her breasts toying with and kissing them to the point she couldn't almost think straight, but she knew she had to. She had to be careful agreeing to anything that came out of his mouth. "Have you forgotten one tiny detail, Lord of the West?"

He paused his menstruations on her right breast to look up at her. "And what would that be, Ai?"

"I can't have your pups, as much as I would like to." She replied sadly looking into his eyes.

Sesshomaru just grinned dangerously back throwing her onto her back on the bed, "In your current state, I think you can." He pushed off her yukata and began kissing and nibbling at her neck. His hands cupped her breasts and toyed with her nipples.

"But, Sesshomaru, if your seed does take this time, if I do get pregnant, how will I be able to go after Naraku with you. I would be needed here for our pups. And they won't even be full demons. Would you be ok with that?"

Sesshomaru stood removing his clothing exposing his large hard-on before covering her with his body once again kissing her lips in a searing kiss. "Ai, let me ask you something. What did you really want before you got caught up in trying to destroy Naraku yourself?"

"To be a mother." She whispered quietly remembering her conversation with Silvermoon earlier that evening. She slowly closed her eyes as Sesshomaru's soft tongue was at her neck and traveling down to her breasts once again.

"Would you rather go after Naraku for the rest of your life? Or" he paused at her heat dipping his long finger into her wet sheath which caused her to buck her hips in anticipation, "would you take this only chance you may have and do what you've wanted to do all along since you started getting involved with me?"

Ai breathed heavily beginning to remember what it was she had wanted when she was younger and lived in this castle with him. A small smile crossed her lips. Yes, she did remember how she dreamed of becoming the only woman in the demon lord's love life, having his pups, and raising them together.

He did something unexpected causing her eyes to open wide while she tilted her head back allowing a viscous moan to escape her lips Sesshomaru grinned as his tongue flicked her sensitive pearl several more times bringing her exactly where he wanted her; begging for more. He moved himself back up to her face where she looked up at him her eyes pleading with him to continue. "I can't wait any longer, Ai."

Ai's pleading eyes closed for a moment before opening up again with determination. "On one condition. If you get close to Naraku, after my pregnancy, I want to be the one to destroy him."

Sesshomaru thought about this for a moment. "So, if you are still pregnant and I do happen to corner him, I have your permission to kill him?" Ai nodded never taking her eyes away from him. "Then its decided."

Ai felt him spread her legs further apart and adjust himself so that the head of his long hard shaft was positioned at her entrance. She grabbed on to his shoulders while he thrust himself into her. Her hips moved with his as he quickened his pace. He growled in pleasure, grabbing her hips to keep her locked in place and drilled himself into her hitting the spot deep with in her that made her cry out in satisfaction. The sound caused him to remember how when he had first done this particular movement, years ago, with her she cried out in the same way and he had immediately stopped to look down at her thinking he had hurt her, but she had reassured him it was the most amazing thing she had ever felt. He could feel himself reaching his peak and he hurriedly pulled out of her and demanded she turn on all fours.

Ai was shaky. Her body was almost at its point, but looking up at his eyes that was tinged with red she knew she didn't have a choice. If he was going to mate her he needed to do it in the way of the dog demons. The Lord of the West needed to mate her from behind, a thing she was very uneasy about. They had never done it this way because Sesshomaru refused saying that he would only do this with the woman he mated. So, she had only heard about it in stories from older female dog demons. She flipped herself over crawling up towards the head board of the bed where Sesshomaru's clawed hands guided her into the correct position he needed her to be in for this to work. Her face was practically face-down in the bed with her back arched so that her dripping wet womanhood was lifted up in the air.

Sesshomaru nudged her legs further apart with his knee setting himself up to connect with her body once more. When he deemed her ready he slammed himself into her grabbing her hips and guiding them to his pace. Ai gasped clutching the sheets in fistfuls, the sound reaching his ears. He draped himself over her back, one hand holding him up while the other snaked its way around her body and found her left nipple. She moaned loudly pushing back to meet his hips with her own in synch with his rhythm. His mouth found the junction of the right side of her neck. The fang that replaced the one he had taken out of his mouth had already grown back. Just as she climaxed and he spilled his seed his fangs sunk into her skin.

They remained there for a few moments panting and sweating. Sesshomaru had yet to remove himself from her dripping sheath and the junction of her neck. Ai placed her face in her hands closing her eyes as her heart began to calm down from beating so rapidly in her chest. She had never experienced such a feeling as this. She felt complete. Sesshomaru finally lifted himself from her and turned to collapse on his back beside her. She looked over at him, his damp bangs in his eyes, but he lifted them away with a tired clawed hand to touch his forehead. It was the first time she had seen the demon lord so exhausted.

Slowly, she scooted closer to him wrapping her arm around his waist and resting her head on his chest. "Sesshomaru?"

"Yes?" He replied tiredly wrapping his arms around her.

"What happens now? Will everyone know that you have mated a halfling like me?"

He looked down at her his topaz eyes glowing in the dark room. Her dark hair surrounded her shoulder hiding the mark he had created there. "I'm sure everyone in the castle knows by now. You are now the new Lady of the West, Lady Ai."

She slightly smiled at that closing her eyes sleepily. Everyone in the castle had always called her by that name, but it was weird to hear it from Sesshomaru. He never called her by that name before now and she wasn't so sure she liked it. "You can just keep calling me by my name, Lord Sesshomaru. I don't think the title is necessary coming from you. You are my mate after all."

"Whatever pleases you." Was all he said, grabbing one of the folded extra blankets at her bedside and covering their naked bodies with it before falling asleep with his mate in his arms.


End file.
